Secret Joys
by Nefertanya dragongurl Ahhotep
Summary: Gabumon's secret is revealed, and now Palmon has a few moves to show him...


``It's been a few days time since we discovered that Gabumon belongs to a now defunct sub-group of gabumon known as the Sun House. This House was considered across the board as one of the most ruthless, evilest digimon around, willingly following Myotismon until greed destroyed them. They even expelled Gabumon for aiding a stranger!  
  
But Fate has a habit of taking the Destined's side, and Gabumon has found refuge in a clan of the Forest House, though it took some explaining. Now that they've rested from the shock, their quest for the mysterious power and its guardian will continue.  
  
A.S.D.A  
  
Secret Joys  
By Nefertanya dragongurl Ahhotep  
  
  
  
Gabumon sighed softly as he stared up into the moonlight. About thirty yards behind him, Tai and Agumon's snores were still faintly audible. He scratched with a hind foot his ear, hidden under the thick fur still slightly itchy from the 'Change'.  
  
The Change. It had suddenly taken on a lot more meaning to him of late. Physically he was stronger. Emotionally, he was more confident. And for the first time in perhaps more than fifty years, he had a *home*. He knew from his experience as a destined that family was simply what you made of it, so it mattered little that they weren't of the same House.  
  
He didn't care. It just felt good to be rid of the pain. Gabumon turned at the small shy cough from behind, and nearly fell into the pond when he saw Palmon.  
  
"Hi." she said shyly, twisting her slender fingers around each other.  
  
"Hi." he whispered softly back. "Boys keeping you up?"  
  
She giggled and ducked her head slightly. He smiled. It was cute when she did that. "I swear it's a wonder the Dark Masters or Myotismon never found us!"  
  
"It's a good thing they're so deep. Bass sounds travel a good distance, but they're hard to pinpoint sourcewise, you know."  
  
Palmon shook her head-she hadn't known that. Gabumon shifted his attention back to the sky. Greatly daring, she hesitantly made her way to sit besides him. She wondered if he minded, or even noticed-he didn't move away from her, the first time since they were children. "Is that why you're out here?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, no. I was just muddling in my thoughts."  
  
"Oh." she said quietly as she made to leave. "I won't bother you then."  
  
"You don't have to go!" The wolf-lizard replied, mayhaps a bit *too* quickly. "You're not bothering me, and it *is* a bit quieter here than with the buzzsaw boys."  
  
She giggled and made herself comfy again. Gabumon noted she seemed closer than before. He assumed it was a simple accident.  
  
But ah, how wrong he was! Palmon had learned from sleeping with Mimi and Gomamon and Joe how close one could get before the other began to get uncomfortable. She did mental backflips as her daring bore fruit.  
  
.....  
  
Great. Now what?  
  
"Nice night." she offered gamely.  
  
"Beautiful." he agreed.   
  
"So...what were you thinking about, anyway?"  
  
"Oh, just how randomly Fate can change her mind. Only a week and a half ago I was alone in a cave, dreaming of older days and sadder days. And now here I am, back with my family. *All* my family."  
  
"Scarstripe and Moonpaw seemed to really like you."  
  
"The Alpha told me they used to have a pup about my age, but he died."   
  
"That's awful! Poor Moonpaw!"  
  
"Mm-hmm. I was starting to get the feeling she was trying to adopt me or something." he laughed.  
  
Palmon remembered the conversation she'd overheard, and silently agreed. "Y'know..." Palmon mentioned, twisting her fingers again. "If you were lonely, you could've come to the Primary Village."   
  
The wolf-lizard tensed. He had wanted to go so badly, but he was afraid she wouldn't understand why he looked different, or even worse, that she was heavily involved with some other, cuter digi-male.   
  
"I thought about it...but I didn't want to get in the way..."  
  
Palmon scrunched her face at the pathetic excuse, but let it go. "Why didn't you tell me you were an outcast?"  
  
Gabumon laughed hollowly. "I didn't tell *anyone*. I was too ashamed, and too scared of what everyone would do when they did. Besides, how could *you* understand? You don't know what it's like."  
  
The flower looked up sharply. "And what makes you think that/"  
  
"Because *everyone* likes you, Palmon." Gabumon laughed.  
  
"And you know that for a fact?"  
  
Gabumon just looked at her. Her demeanor had become very sorrowful.  
  
"When I first became Tanemon, Elecmon brought me to the closest Palmon Village and explained that I was special and was to be well taken care of.  
  
They took me in, but I don't believe they ever really wanted to. They fed me and taught me all the things a good little Palmon should know, but they always seemed to resent it. If I made a mistake, they were always harsher. They'd often ask 'why I could possibly be so special when I couldn't do anything right'.  
  
I left as soon as possible. So you see? We're not so different, you and I."  
  
Gabumon was flabbergasted. "I-I didn't know...I'm sorry."  
  
She nudged playfully against him. "Yea, well. They're just jealous 'cause I'm here with you." Quickly she realized what she'd just said. "And all the other Digi-Destined, of course."  
  
"Of course." Gabumon replied thoughtfully.  
  
Silence ensued as each pondered what the future held for two with such dark pasts. Was this sudden common bond a sign, or an omen? What other destined held back such a dark tale?  
  
Pressure on his right side brought Gabumon back to attention. "Palmon?" he nudged the still form. He could feel her soft breath on his arm, so he assumed her to be asleep. Should he...? The wolf-lizard glanced around. the team was all still asleep back at camp, and they *were* several miles from the gabumon village by now. No one would have to know...  
  
With that thought in mind, Gabumon carefully curled his spiky tail close around Palmon's form. he thought with a blush. His smile grew wider as the sleeping form snuggled closer.  
  
Of course, Palmon was hardly asleep. Faking it was simply the easiest way to snuggle closer without raising suspicion or contempt. She grinned to herself as she felt his tail curl around her. Gabumon rarely gave great displays of affection publicly-probably a side effect of having a human male as a partner. They always seemed to dislike close contact for too long. This was a grand gesture indeed.  
  
Encouraged, she snuggled closer, enjoying the deep warmth given to his species, and silently marveled at the contrast of the soft fur where it met the soft, smooth scales of his skin. She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, enveloped by the warmth of her love.  
  
Gabumon smiled down at her. He'd stay like this all night if he had to, because there was no way he was going to disturb her obviously pleasant dreams. But there *was* one thing he could do....  
  
Nuzzling the top of her head, he whispered, "Sleep sweet, my Pal-chan."  
  
The flower's eyes shot open, but by some miracle she remained still. For a moment, she was at a loss. Should she respond? He might back away. Stay still then?   
  
She felt Gabumon move, and shyly slip an arm around her shoulders. It was only then she realized she'd been shivering. He was protecting her from the cool night breezes, just like he used to do for Matt and TK when they were all so young and alone. Was this protection just a courtesy?  
  
As he settled his head lightly atop her own, she decided not to bother thinking about it. It didn't matter. All this could slip away in the dawning sun. Love, even if only imagined, was too precious for her to just waste.  
  
So she put her hand on his warm chest, closed her eyes, and slept with her forever love.  
  
  
  
*closes the GaPverse gates*  
  
Awwww!!!!! Do your teeth hurt? Then I've done my job! :) Well, as I've said, I'm taking a hiatus from the digi-realm to focus on some other projects. But don't fret! I'll write some more GaPverse fics as soon as I can! I just want to get working on my semi-original(sorry it's taking so long, Kat), and get some MD:TASs out into the air.  
  
Forgive me? 


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